Press Release

NEWS RELEASE

New enrolment policy will ensure school places - County Dublin VEC

VEC initiative will better co-ordinate second level places between Luttrellstown and Castleknock Community Colleges

Follows extensive consultation, will take effect in 2013

County Dublin VEC has confirmed that a new initiative will be introduced in 2013 to more closely co-ordinate the enrolment policies of Castleknock and Luttrellstown Community Colleges in Dublin 15.   The development is intended to remove any doubt for parents over the availability of second level places for children from the general catchment area currently attending local primary schools.  It will be designed to ensure that sufficient second-level school places are available for students in the general catchment area around both community colleges.

The initiative follows calls locally for Castleknock and Luttrellstown Community Colleges to co-ordinate their enrolment policies more closely given that these are two County Dublin VECs serving the same area of Dublin 15.

Dr. Marie Griffin, CEO of County Dublin said that the VEC has consulted extensively with the principals and boards of management from both community colleges.  The process has also involved discussions with community groups and public representatives in Dublin 15.

"We are now bringing proposals to the boards of management and when these are approved we will provide further briefings to parent representatives from local schools.  We anticipate that the process will be completed around Easter and the policy will then be formally adopted by County Dublin VEC from 2013 through into 2016.  A review will take place immediately after the first year to ensure that the policy is working as effectively as planned," said Dr. Griffin.

"We are not implementing radical changes, however the fact is that we have the capacity between both community colleges to meet the needs of the entire community.   What we are establishing is a co-ordinated approach where the wider Porterstown area will be served by Luttrellstown Community College and the wider Castleknock area will be served by Castleknock Community College.  Under the new policy, each school will serve a specific surrounding catchment area."

Currently, Castleknock Community College (CCC) still caters for its original catchment area and Luttrellstown Community College (LCC) caters for a number of feeder schools in the Castleknock/Clonsilla area.   Dr. Griffin said that the new 2013 enrolment policies will be published in due course by each community college.  The 2011 enrolment period is already concluded and the 2012 enrolment policy will remain the same as it is now.

Dr. Griffin also confirmed that Luttrellstown Community College (LCC) will be move into a brand new school in Luttrellstown from its current temporary accommodation in the former College of Horology in Blanchardstown Village. Under Principal Fionnuala Ní Chaisil, it will share the site there with Scoil Choilm Community National School, also under VEC patronage.  Although only in its second year, LCC has already established its place and reputation in the local community and first year students, as part of their extracurricular programme, secured prizes in the Young Scientist Exhibition earlier this year.

Castleknock Community College (CCC) opened in 1995 to cater for the communities of Castleknock, Laurel Lodge and Porterstown.  Given the major population growth in the area, the College quickly reached full operating strength.  Currently CCC, under Principal John Cronin, provides over 1,100 students with an extensive range of curricular subjects, extracurricular and social activities. CCC has recently applied for planning permission for a new Sports facility and ten classroom extension.

Because of the recognised need for more local second-level school places, the Department of Education and Skills asked County Dublin VEC to open Pobail Scoil Setanta at Phibblestown in 2008 and Luttrellstown Community College in 2009.   Both of these schools are growing gradually from first year onwards and will ultimately cater for 1,000 pupils each. 

Pobail Scoil Setanta is on the same site as Scoil Ghráinne, a Community National School which will shortly come under County Dublin VEC patronage. Setanta recently moved into a an exceptionally high quality new building that has shared community facilities (under Fingal County Council) to cater for the Phibblestown Community. These VEC schools (together with other local schools) are providing enough second level places for every student in the Dublin 15 area.

Ends.